Helen O’Shea honours Sineád O’Connor with 'Dense Water, Deeper Down' cover

Limerick-born singer Helen O’Shea has released a rendition of Sineád O’Connor's 'Dense Water, Deeper Down', marking two years after O’Connor's passing.

The track was taken from O'Shea's upcoming tribute album, Songs in the Key of O, a homage to O'Connor and Dolores O’Riordan. Songs in the Key of O is set for release on March 6, 2026.

A former doctor, O'Shea explained that O'Connor's performance on The Late Late Show was profoundly impactful on her in medical school. She said that she and many Irish girls, "were transfixed by this new vision of womanhood - gentleness and anger, ferocity and determination - with a beautiful voice."

"Sinéad O'Connor encouraged a new generation of Irish youth to be true to themselves like never before," O'Shea said.

O'Shea chose to release 'Dense Waters Deeper Down' coinciding with the second anniversary of O'Connor's death. O'Connor died on July 26, 2023 at the age of 56, of natural causes.

O'Shea collaborated with two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky for production, who previously worked with O'Shea when she won Best Americana Song at the Global Music Awards. The duo recruited singers Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, American Music Award winner Jo Wymer and Royal Irish Academy teacher Fiona Tyndall for background vocals.

O'Shea called the track a "special Jersey Girls tribute to Sinéad" with "lightness, frivolity and deep respect shining throughout."

Other vocalists on the album include Hot House Flowers frontman Liam Ó Maonlaí, Barry Murphy of Hermitage Green, Bruce Springsteen background vocalist Michelle Moore, James Maddock, Brad Butcher and Caroline Carlile

Listen to O'Shea's rendition of 'Dense Water, Deeper Down' below: